A Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom has convicted a man impersonating governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to commit fraud of over N4.5 million.
Justice Agatha Anulika Okeke convicted Julius Nwalozie of one-count charge bordering on impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.
Mr Nwalozie was on Friday sentenced to three years imprisonment without an option of fine.
Nwalozie, who was arrested on December 6 in Owerri, Imo State, pleaded guilty to the charge.
The one-count charge against the convict read: “That you, Nwalozie Onyebuchi Julius (alias Dr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria) on or about 26th day of August 2019 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, fraudulently impersonated one Dr Godwin Emefiele, the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria by using email address: emefielegodwin586@yahoo.com, with intent to obtain money, property or any advantage from one Omar Deep and other unsuspecting persons, the pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (ii) of the Cybercrime (Provision, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act.”
The court also ordered that the convict is to forfeit his laptop, which was his instrument of crime, and N1million recovered from him to the Federal Government.
